Saturday, September 12. 2009

“The Most Dangerous Game” ends by answering one of its central questions - will Rainsford survive the hunt? - but it leaves several others unanswered.

+ What happens to the prisoners from the San Lucar?

+ What will happen to all of Zaroff’s hounds?

+ Where will Rainsford go? (Will he stay on the island? If so, how will he survive?)

+ If he goes back to America, how will he readjust to living with people?

+ How will Rainsford's adventure ultimately affect him, for better or worse?

The main set of complications seems to end with the final standoff in Zaroff’s bedroom. But if one looks deeper, one sees that Connell actually chooses to leave some threads dangling – either because they would be difficult to write, they would make his story too long or unfocused, or their resolutions simply didn’t interest him enough to spur him to work on them.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing; plenty of good stories leave things unsaid. But I'm going to use these loose ends as an opportunity to read your creative writing for the first time!
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This week’s assignment requires you to pick one of those dangling narrative threads up, and to use that thread as the starting point of a new piece of writing – an epilogue or a “sequel.” Will you write about Rainsford’s attempts to rejoin American society, or will you strand him on the island for good and write about his new life there? Will you keep the narrator, or will you tell the “sequel” through Rainsford’s eyes? For that matter, will you write about someone other than Rainsford – one of the prisoners, for example, or one of the dogs? Will your new piece take place over the course of an hour, a day, a year – even a lifetime?

This assignment demands a certain amount of creativity from you, and the best pieces will be the ones written by students who like what they’re writing about; it’s nearly impossible to like the work of someone who didn’t enjoy creating it. With that in mind, I encourage you to explore the “sequel idea” you like best!

However…

You’re only writing a very short piece this week – a minimum of two five-sentence paragraphs of work. (While you can write more if you like, do NOT write less than this.) That’s probably not enough space for you to tell me your whole story!

Therefore, your quest is to write what we call a “teaser” – the written equivalent of one of those previews you see before a movie begins! (You’ll write the actual story in class next week.) Don’t give away everything you’re about to write – just begin your story, and stop at a good point for a “cliffhanger” or mini-climax.

While it’s important to show you’re a creative writer, it’s also important to remember that spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sentence mechanics all count towards your grade. You have a number of days to work on this, so compose your replies carefully! (It's smart to write your entry in Word or a similar word-processing program so you can spell-check your work before posting.)

As per the usual, you are also required to write a response to at least two other posts. Make sure your reply is a legitimate response/reaction to what the poster originally wrote; ideally, they’ll be able to reply to your reply! Since they’ll be writing the rest of their story later, you can ask them questions about what they have planned, make suggestions about a direction they should take, etc. Try to respond to the feedback you receive as well!

Your post and feedback are due by 11:59pm on Monday, September 14th. (Since the blog is up a day late, I’m extending your time by a day.) If you have questions, please send me an e-mail!

After killing General Zaroff and resting on a very nice bed, Rainsford decided to leave the island. He decided to take the boat the Zaroff had mentioned, along with the prisoners from San Lucar. Rainsford left at high noon, when the sun’s light shone green on the ground through the jungle leaves. Before he got on board the boat, Rainsford lit a match on a line of thread, and in an instant, the whole jungle was ablaze, the flames licking at the side of the luxurious house that once provided shelter for a murderer, his giant bodyguard, and his pack of savage beasts. With a last glance at the burning island, Rainsford and his crew pushed off into the horizon.
Several days later, Rainsford woke up to the violent sound of the salty sea smashing against the sides of the boat. As soon as he stepped out of the cabin, a blanket of sea spray and a gust of wind hit Rainsford with such force, that he stumbled back into the cabin. He called to his crew to find out what was going on, but they were busy trying to catch the wind back home. As time went by, the wind speed increased and Rainsford felt a tug on his shirt. One of the crew, a boy about the age of 14, began to point towards the horizon. A large black cloud was looming closer and closer to the boat. As Rainsford looked closer, he could see that a thunderstorm was forming.

I woke up 10 minutes ago, to the sound of someone opening the lock on the jail door. Everything seemed so confusing at first, but then I found out it wasn't a dream. There were people talking all around me and I saw that they were my crew members. I heard from the person who rescued me and the other people that were on San Lucar that he's name was Rainsford. I had a flashback and remembered that when we were near Ship-Trap Island, something in the water destroyed the boat that we were on, and then everything turned black.

After a while, Rainsford told us that we had to get off this island. We got the supplies that we needed from the mansion and got ready to leave. We got on the boat one by one and started heading for the horizon when we saw the sun starting to rise in the sky. We started to move faster and faster on the clear, blue water. Everything was fine until I heard a loud crash on the deck. Something was wrong. My other crew members and I ran toward the front of the boat and saw what caused the loud noise. We ran into an ice burg! Oh no.

Rainsford woke the next morning with a feeling of relief to him. Knowing that he is not being pursued as a game anymore, he gets up and peers out the window where the hounds are. Only seeing a blood stain, he pushes forward to his day with boldness. Deciding to stay on the island, he takes a trek around the island in search of resources and landmarks to map out the island. The feeling of eyes at every corner never escaped him during the hike of the island; a sense of paranoia had seeped in over time, leaving him stained in fright.
The dense jungle began to collapse onto Rainsford. He increased the speed of his walk to a slight jog, the speed of his heart racing faster and faster until the speed of his jog was a dead sprint. He reached a hill that was quite steep, but it was the only way to reach the château from his position. He walked slowly like a crab up the hill using the dirt as grip, assisting him up the hill. Exhausted, Rainsford stares down the mountain, turning around leaves him eye to eye to the thought to be dead General Zaroff.

Your paragraph actually felt like it came straight out of Connell's writing. You built up the suspense throughout the whole story and then, boom! You blindsided us with that ending. I didn't see that coming. Sounds like you put a lot of thought into this. Great job.

Rainsford could not sleep; the thought of killing a human brought back the memory of the war. He thought that he has left it behind him because he took up hunting so that he could forget the war and stay focused on hunting. He did not want those memories haunting him. He went walking around the house he arrived at a part that he has never seen before. He liked the 25 shotguns in the library they used .308 caliber bullets.
He picked one up and it felt as light as a handgun, behind each shotgun was a box full of bullets. He walked to his left to find a big case. He could not help barfing, the case contained human heads next to each head there lay a handgun. He turned around because he could not stand it. he went to the den which was near the cage of the sailors. when Rainsford sat down he saw a barrel of a gun pointed at him.

Rainsford woke up from his slumber with a sign of relief. He was relaxed to know that General Zaroff would not hunt him anymore. Without a moment to lose, he rushed to the prisoners from San Lucar and set them free. They were all grateful to Rainsford and each went on the ship except for Rainsford. He decided to stay on the island, alone, since he wouldn’t be able to go back to society after what he just experienced. He watched as the once large boat sail away until it looked like a spec of dust. Rainsford quietly walked back to the mansion without regretting of what he just did.

It was suppose to be sunny today, but the trees blocked the light and it seemed as it was night. Rainsford was cautious but felt some hesitation as he was walking through the jungle. He kept imagining the gun shots coming from the other side of the island and kept thinking that Zaroff was still after him. His heart rate was starting to rise and his once slow pace started to become a sprint as he tore down bushes after bushes to get back to the mansion. Then all of a sudden, a noise came from one of the bushes and someone was there. Could it still be General Zaroff after being killed or could it have been Ivan that lost his life by my knife? Instead, an old man with a terrifying smile stepped out of the bushes. Rainsfored asked himself who is this old man, and why is he on the island?

Still tired from last nights experience, Rainsford woke up, and stumbled into the dining room, where he drank champagne, and feasted on filet mignon, for the second time. Enjoying the life of luxury, Rainsford moped around the rooms, throwing himself upon every couch, bed, a chair available. "That crazy General Zaroff really had it good here..." Rainsford said to himself. "... I think I might just stay here, awhile".

Days passed, and Rainsford was still on the island. Every day spent there brought him new joys, and the longer he stayed there, the less he wanted to leave. He could do whatever he wanted, shoot the exotic animals that inhabited the forest (after all, he was a hunter still), cruise around using the generals ship, or even just lounge around on the comfortable furniture, that wasn't available anywhere else. Then, one day; Rainsford got hungry-- and there was no more filet mignon... Like an animal, Rainsford's hunger controlled him; as he walked towards the prisoners' door...

Rainsford woke up to a beautiful sunrise. He thought it was just so great where he was he just did not want to leave. Rainsford went downstairs for a bite to eat he noticed that there was not enough food for him to make living there.So he had no choice,but to leave the house and go to America.He took any money he could find in the hous to try to have a good start in America. All he found was 3 dollars,string, wrappers of chocolates and a rock shaped like a knife.
So there he went on the ship leaving the hounds and people behind. He was on his own for the first time there was only one problem he hated to be alone,but he learned to deal with it. He let of the sail and went in the cabin for one nap before his big journey when he found a woman locked up and behind her was a little boy 5 yrs old. He left the cabin not knowing what to do and when he looked out he saw that there was a hole in the ship and the ship started to sink.

Zaroff sweaty, blood red fingers were desperately trying to get a good hold of the window ledge. His fingernails leaving cat-like scratches on the white wood while below, rabid red eyes looked up ravenously at the General's hanging body. Each drop of blood dripping from the General seem to make the dogs' bloodshot eyes gleam brighter and brighter. Rainsford limped towards the window and peered down. Zaroff's white hair now had red streaks through it. The face that had haunted Rainsford for the past three days turned up and two shiny black eyes pierced right into Rainsford's own eyes. He tried to look away but couldn't, then a single word escaped Zaroff's throat and sliced the jungle's eerie silence and low, steady rumble of the hounds. "Murderer."
Rainsford eye's flew open. He was drenched in sweat and felt weary and exhausted, both physically and mentally. Not only was he drained, he felt filthy and awful; he had never murdered a man before. Not in cold blood. He reminded himself that he had to, that it was either Zaroff or him and Zaroff would not have hesitated to take away Rainsford's life. Still the scene played over and over in his mind no matter how hard he tried to bury it deep into his brain. He glanced out the cursed window into the light blue sky. The red scratches and splinters on the panel stood out glaringly. Rainsford leapt off the bed and slammed the windows shut to drown out the deep snores of the hounds below, stuffed after last night's feast. He ripped the curtains off and hastily covered up the crimson scratches on the ledge. Burying the reminder of last night seem to calm Rainsford down a bit. Enough for him to realize that he needed to free the imprisoned sailors and get as far away from the island as possible. He dashed out the room all the way to where the sailors were being held. He didn't want to stay in the General's castle any longer than he had to. He reached the cells and was shocked to see that most of the prisoner looked clean and healthy, some of them were cleaner that he was.
It was then that he realized his urge to get out of the castle had given him a lapse of judgement and made him forget that he needed a key to open the cell doors. He tried to wrench the door open but was met with a hearty laughter from the sailors. He realized the inevitable and trudged back towards the castle. He contemplated all the places the key could have been hidden and slowly drew the dreadful conclusion that it was most likely back in the room. This time he walked slowly up the steps, dreading his return into the room that would surely be the source of many nightmares for Rainsford in the future. He stalked in the room and proceeded to overturn drawer after drawer of the General's belongings, looking for the key. After a long futile search he slumped onto the soft bed and stared out the window. His eyes widened in horror. The exposed crimson scratches glared straight at him. Rainford jumped off the bed and checked to see if the curtains had fell onto the floor. Terror shot through his body and a chill went down his spine. He had found the key, placed neatly atop the folded curtains. Then the voice of the devil himself broke the silence. "Murderer."

After a horrible nights sleep, Rainsford finally awoke from his unusally comfortable bed. He thought to himself, " I MUST get out here." Rainsford couldn't stand staying in a house that use to belong to a, let alone maniac, but a murderer! But Rainsford knew he didn't have such a marvelous residence back in the USA; that is why he spent an extra week here on Trapship Island just so he can regather himself and figure out how to get home safely.

The next day, remembering about the prisoners, Rainsford went towards their door and stood there in astonishment at what he saw as he peeked through. On the other side of the door, was a group of dismantled people huddled together looking at some sort of map. The savages noticed Rainsford and quickly hid it thinking Rainsford was going to hurt them. Being as friendly as possible, Rainsford stated he was friend and he was here to help. After a cheer of joy was let out by the group, Rainsford didn't even need to think of a plan. The map the savages were holding was an escape plan that must have been thought out for about ten years. However, before everyone started heading toward the ship to leave (which was part one of the plan), all the savages ramaged through the house for supplies. After eating a buffet, changing into clean clothes, and grabbing everything valuable, everyone headed to sea on Zaroff's old, hardly used ship. Once everyone boarded, and started sailing into the clear sea, Rainsford found a suspiciously large box labled "fragile" located next to the captains quarters. Curiously he opened it, and was suddenly pushed backwards by a surprise attack. It was a jaguar.

After waking up to a sleep-deprived night, Rainsford realizes something in shock. "I defeated the most dangerous game!" he exclaims in happiness. "Now, what shall I do?" he thought. Rainsford decided to check on the prisoners from San Lucar in the basement. He quietly crept his way towards the basement.
Once Rainsford was heading down the stairs, he was frightened to hear numerous shouts. These were the shouts of starving prisoners trapped in a small space surrounded by metal bars and barbed wire. They all chanted in agony for Rainsford to set them free. Rainsford frantically searched for something to bust open the lock on the metal bars. Quickly, Rainsford snatched the axe next to the pile of firewood over in the corner. After numerous strikes, Rainsford finally set the thankful prisoners free. Food wasn't all they wanted, they also wanted revenge. Suddenly, Rainsford was surrounded by the prisoners like a pack of hyenas after vulnerable prey.

Rainsford had just waken up after a long night. He remembered all the things he went through; the time when he fell off his ship, his tense arrival at Zaroff’s house, the hunt, and how he survived. More than anything, being hunted like an animal was a terrifying nightmare. He remembered what he had said to Whitney; there were the hunters and the hunted, and that animals had no feelings. Now he thought differently, that animals had fear of death, and that hunting was only fun to the hunters.

But that was yesterday. Now he was on a dock, waiting for the ship that was supposed to take him back to America. He had arranged the ship through Zaroff who promised to keep his part of the bargain. The ship was quite late, so he decided to take a stroll near the jungle. While in the middle of walking, smoke started to percolate through the jungle growth. Startled, he hurried himself to the dock thinking the forest was on fire. When he arrived, he realized that the boat that was suppose to take him was engulfed in flames. Smoke was pouring out of the ship and splashing ashes onto the deck.

Every dreadful day I’ve spent here until tonight, was spent wide awake at night. My mind would race at the thoughts of strategy, willingness, and courage. Finally this was the night, after all my struggle, that I could lay in bed. My eyes immediately fell into a sleep coma, not a screeching noise made from a scratch on a chalk board or the bull horns that lay screaming at ears could wake me up. I had seen and heard inhumane things, more than I could ever want to experience. They created a tornado in my mind, attacking me while I was awake, and unfortunately attacking me in my sleeps too. I was quickly sucked into a dream by the tornado of torture.
There I was, strapped onto a chair directly on the other side of the long table, facing General Zaroff. I was far enough that I couldn’t make out the whites of his eyes, but close enough to hear his voice. He was torn in every inch of his body, his hair missing patches, his eyes bloody, a deformed mess he was. It was a pain to look at, as if every bloody cut I saw, every flesh that was missing, transferred its pain into the eyes of any person who would come upon this sight. He spoke with a shaken voice, “ I have return in your dreams, my friend.” He took a hard breath that he could barely keep in and continued, “ You have defeated me, fair as it is, but I have a great request for you.” I leaned in closer, without saying any words, he understood that I was willing to listen. “ I want you to continue the dangerous game.” Before I could object, he raised the only finger left on his hand, which halted me to choke on my words. “ You had fun, you played the game, you hosted the game, you are just like me, this island belongs to you.” It quickly hit me then, that I could never face the world the same way. These eyes wired to my brain could never be the same. A panicked expression was plastered on to my face, who have I become? The general laughed and wheezed at the same time.
I sucked in a deep gust of air, and my eyes ripped open. I took deep breaths, sweaty and alarmed. The dream wasn’t just a dream, it was a way of communication. General Zaroff, a person of surprises, wired himself into my mind. I knew what I had to do.

Rainsford woke from the bright morning sunlight glowing through his open window. It took him a moment or two, to remember exactly what had happened. He sat up and rubbed his eyes to rid his blurry vision. A fresh amount of relief washed over him when he realized that he was free; he was no longer being hunted and cornered. However, a short second later the relief dried away as fast as it had come. Rainsford thought of what he had to do, he got up and strolled around the bright room.

Rainsford pondered what to do with those vicious dogs down below, what was he going to do with all those extra men? He squinted into the bright sun, trying to think what he would do with himself. With a sinking feeling, Rainsford realized that he really wanted to go back to society. A society where innocent people would talk, laugh, and joke with one another. Rainsford knew he would not, and could not go back. He denied this fact and did not want to accept it, but he knew clearly, deep down, there was no way he could enter a crowded society once more and feel safe. He knew that every night when he turned off those lights to get a nice and relaxing sleep on his soft feathery bed he would never be able to sleep peacefully. He knew that he would always feel a lurking presence around him in dark alleys, when walking by himself, as if something were sulking in the darkest corner there, ready to attack. He knew that he would never, be the innocent and carefree Rainsford that he once was. Never again, would he be the same person that could smile and laugh so freely. He was trapped, once again.

Rainsford could sleep right away after he came back to General Zaroff's house because he swam to General's house. He woke up in the early morning because in his dream, General Zaroff was trying to hunt him again. He walked to the kitchen and saw General Zaroff. They ate breakfast. After breakfast General Zaroff asked Rainsford to hunt animals with him so they went to the jungle. When they were back from the jungle, Rainsford had a gun in his pocket.

In the midnight when General Zaroff was sleeping, Rainsford moved silently to General Zaroff's room. He shot a gun to General's heart. He's dead. Rainsford was really happy. He went to the downstairs and prepare to sail to America. He got foods, guns, bullets, a ship etc and he didn't care about the prisoners from San Lucar. In the morning he departed from the island. Few months later we arrived in America.

When sleep deserts Rainsford in the morning before he gets out of bed, a feeling of worthlessness hazes in his mind. A feeling as if life didn’t need to be lived anymore, as if he had lived his whole life for one soul purpose; to defeat the Zaroff.
Now what. What do you do when you live to do one thing that is now accomplished? You either choose a new path, or you loose the will to live. Rainsford lied there in the bed of his victim, conscious, but not moving as he ponders what to do with the remainder of his life. He thinks about his hunting and his money, and how he had lived his whole life in bubble not even thinking twice about looking at the world with even the slightest tilt in his carnivorous point of view. The point of view of the hunter, one who mercilessly takes without compassion.

Rainsford then goes out to examine the dock in which lies the ship General Zaroff had promised to take him if he had won the game. The most dangerous game. It was now that he started to re ask himself the question as to why had Zaroff had wanted to hunt people, human beings with a family, mind and a will to live. Had he been so different? The targets might had changed, but the mindset was the same. He, generally, was the same as Zaroff; a hunter. Rainsford became sickened with himself, and went to the bed again to sleep, as everyone does when they are depressed. He had lost the will to live, and settled into a deep sleep in which he would never wake up.

It's been two days after Rainsford confronted and defeated Zaroff. Rainsford felt relieved that his life was not endangered by this insane lunatic anymore. He felt guilty of course, for he has only killed one man before, Ivan, but his happiness drowns the fact that he committed murder. The last two days he has been planning a way to escape Ship- Trap Island and escape the memories that come with it. He knows it will be hard to readjust to living in America but he knows that this experience made him stronger.
His plan was simple yet effective. He was first going to find the key that unlocked the room where the prisoners were held captive. Next he was going to retrieve those prisoners that were lucky enough not to be Zaroff’s victim. He then was going to look for that boat that Zaroff mention a couple days before he died. After he will sail to America and let the sailors keep the boat. “Yes that’s a good plan,” thought Rainsford aloud.
He went looking in that dreaded jungle to look for the now deceased Ivan. He was sure that Ivan had the keys. Sure enough when he found the corpse he saw the keys dangling from his front pocket. On his way back to the castle he hears a low, deep rumble. It was thunder. “Is that a sign?” Rainsford thought. He then decided not to think anything of it and started on his way again. He found the cellar that Zaroff told him the first day they met. He put the keys in the slot slowly. He breathe in. Then out. “What if some of the sailors are already dead? What if they don’t want to correspond with me?” He pushed it out of his head and said he was being ridiculous. He opened the door with a new found confidence. 9 or 10 young men were all staring at him at once. They had murder in their eyes. All of a sudden they pounced on him at once.

It’s amazing how easily you drew a picture of Rainsfords dream in my head. I wish I thought to start my story with a nightmare. Also it’s impressive how you repeat murderer in your story you could have said killer or something but you stuck murderer in my head. That really made me think.

Who or what started that fire? Was anyone killed in the fire? What is Rainsford going to do now? How are he and the crew members from San Lucar going to survive? All those questions formed in my head at once when I read this. This story is a great example of a cliffhanger.

Rainsford woke up in the morning with an aching body. There was blood everywhere. He remembered that he was fighting with general Zaroff last night, and he killed the general by pushing him out the window. He went to the dungeon where the prisoners were kept and he freed them. He comforted them by telling them that the general is dead, and they can leave whenever they want.

The prisoners were overjoyed that Rainsford killed the general, and they packed supplies from the mansion to get ready to leave. The hounds were no where to be seen, so the prisoners and Rainsford walked through the jungle and boarded the ship. The crew celebrated their good fortune and drank until they're drunk. Night began to settle in, so most of the crew went to their rooms. Rainsford was standing on the deck, looking back at Ship-Trap Island. Just as he was about to leave, Rainsford felt a gun was held to his head.

After waking up from the cries of the hounds, Rainsford was clearing up his mind and thought about what had happened last night. He didn't bother to save the prisoners because he knew they would go against him and kill him. All he wanted was to go back home and forget about what had happened here at Ship-Trap Island. But Rainsford knew that leaving the island immediately would be too much for his body to handle due to the several injuries he acquired from the fights; he had to rest first. Deciding that he would stay for a couple of days, he started to pack for his journey back home.

Rainsford packed food that could last for weeks along with the general’s money. He felt guilty for murdering a man, but he told himself "it was the only way to stay alive.” After fully recovering from his injuries, Rainsford headed out to look for Zaroff’s ship. He searched the whole island. There was no ship; Zaroff lied.

Rainsfords has killed General Zaroff by stabbing him with a knife in his sleep, there was blood all over the floor and the covers of the bed. After Rainsford killed Zaroff he took him to the forest into the quicksand where no one will ever find him again, he did the same with Ivan. Later on he returned to the house to change the covers and make everything with blood on it disappear. The next day Rainsford woke up, he slept on the bed where he had killed Zaroff, that same night he was having nightmares about him not getting of Ship-Trap Island. He had slept right next to the knife that he had killed Zaroff with. Right when he woke up he went down the stairs to get everything he needed to get off the island, he got food, supplies and even a knife..just incase anything happened. Once he was all ready he headed straight for the boat and sailed off, off to another island..

Rainsford stood there, hands shaking and dripping with blood. General Zaroff’s bloody carcass half-hanging on the window. His vacant eyes boring straight into Rainsford’s. A metallic clanging could be heard as he dropped the scissors. He pushed Zaroff’s body down below and waited. He didn’t have to wait long. He heard a thud and the supprising squeals of his hounds down below. Rainsford shut the windows and closed the drapes. His reflection scared him in the mirror. As he was washing his hands and face, he thought, “ How could I go back to society after what I have done and what I have been through? Could I face humanity? Surely this act I have just commited will haunt me to the end of my days.” He closed up the water tap and climbed into Zaroff’s bed. He couldn’t bring himself to fall asleep. Pictures of Zaroff’s face kept flashing in his brain, like an old-school cinema projector. Rainsford sat up, drenched in sweat. He held his head like there was an earthquake, and he started moaning. Rolling out of bed, he scrambled around in Zaroff’’s coupboards. “Surely he must have some sort of weapon,” he thought. His hands found the barrel of none other than a .15 automatic. Rainsford pulled it into his mouth and without hesitation, pulled the trigger.

Through the night, Rainsford was kept up staring out the windows, thinking what’s next. A thought came to mind, staying at the island wouldn’t be so bad. But how will he get his food, his entertainment. Slowly he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Rainsford ran across the jungle, something was chasing him. He turned his head as he swiftly dodged the traps, he saw blood red eyes. A bloody beast plunged upon him!

Sprung up from the bed, covered in sweat, Zaroff’s body still on the floor, bloody. He couldn’t take the thought that he had murdered someone in cold blood. Frightened, he ran to the cell, took out an auto machine gun, and fired on every living soul. He couldn’t have anyone be able to tell the story of him, and what he has done. But now, seeing the reckless thing that he just did, he saw the blood running across the floor. He knew that he has to leave before he goes mad.

Rainsford bolted up from the small bed and felt sweat pouring down his face and exhaustion taking over. Just a dream, just a dream, he repeated over and over to himself. As he ventured back to what he had dreamt, a small chill circulated through his body. He had seen General Zaroff once more, chuckling in his evil ways. Rainsford shook his head to get rid of the horrible thought. He looked around and saw a faint gleam of light shine through the curtains. It was almost dawn. Today would be an important and extremely busy day. Rainford had to free the men and find a way to get out of this hazardous island.

After getting dressed into clean clothes and eating a full meal, Rainsford was actually satisfied and happy for the first time in four torturing days. He opened the front door and immediately felt strong beams of light pointed directly at his eyes. He heard someone bellow into a speaker, “GENERAL ZAROFF.” Shocked and blind, he swiftly closed back the door and waited for his eyesight to return. He thought back and prayed that what he had heard was a mistake. BOOM. He jolted around and saw the large metal doors slam down onto the tiles of the floors. Rainsford squinted though the beaming lights and saw maybe three dozen police officers grouped together in a huddle. In a flash, instead of standing outside the doors they were gathered around Rainsford and handcuffing him as well. “General Zaroff, you are under arrest for capturing and killing the lives of innocent men.”

The next day was dramatic for Rainsford. He constantly replayed the hunt over and over again in his head. He repeatedly heard the roar of the hounds echoing in his head like a loud noise bouncing off of a mountain range. He feared that this constant echo would burrow itself in his head infinitely. As soon as he was brave enough to crawl out of bed he took one of Zaroffs hidden pistols and shot each hound before they had the chance to take their last breath. It took a lot too look into the eyes of each and every one of the eyes of the canines. He knew he had to return to his home, he could not live in the place where he hid from his predator. He had to return to his home where he knew his memories would eventually fade. But before he went back to his home he had to do one last thing, free the victims of San Lucar. He took the ten females and ten males and took them back home with him to safety. Even though Rainsford would always hold the horror of the previous nights he new he was in a safe place.

He woke up in terror as he rushed to escape the island. Running downstairs, he freed the prisoners, but was in such a hurry, he didn't notice one open cell. The cell was isolated from all the others with a trail of blood. As Rainsford ran with the prisoners towards the ship, he sees a bloodied man next to a tied-up, masked, prisoner. Thinking the man is Zaroff, Rainsford charges at him. He knocks out his air, forcing him to fall and die with the little strength that man had left. Right before the man fell, he winked at the prisoner without Rainsford noticing.

Freeing the tied-up prisoner, the lot set sail as the day slowly went by. As time passed on by midnight, the group slowly got smaller and smaller. Rainsford woke up in the morning, dangling from a plank. He hears the sawing of wood. Looking behind him, he sees Zaroff, smiling.

Rainsford woke up to a beautiful morning. Everything was perfect except one thing... he wasn't happy. So he knew what he had to do... he had to leave the island. Before he left he went downstairs and searched the house for money. So once Rainsford found some money he went and took the prisoners from the the San Lucar he decided to take the boat that Zaroff had mentioned. So Rainsford and his "crew" left the island and fell asleep around midnight from the rocking of the boat. Rainsford woke up in the morning, and noticed that he was the only one on the boat. He turned around and saw Zaroff, smiling with a gun.

As Rainsford awoke the next morning he realized what had happened the night before. He quickly ran around the mansion looking for General Zaroff, but there was no sign of the General. Rainsford then graciously went and made himself breakfast, and as he was doing that he thought how lonely his life would be if he stayed on the island. Rainsford then decided he did not want to stay on the island, and be lonely.

He quickly finished eating his breakfast and put all the food on the boat. As he was getting ready to leave, Rainsford thought about the prisoners and he knew he would feel guilty for leaving them. He jumped of the boat and went a brought all the prisoners to the boat. They left the island at late night when the moon shone high in the sky. As they made their way over the sea they were hit by a major thunderstorm. Lightning stormed, and waves crashed against their boat. Nobody knew if they were going to make it.

It was a nice bright shiny day. I decided it would be nice to stay for a few more nights, get that disgusted thought out of my mind, the fact I murdered someone. I went hunting and killed a few tigers. I examined this gorgeous place more. Such luxurious food, I wondered how he got them? I called it a day for me, I'm tired.

I woke up, I couldn't move. I was tied up by the prisoners from San Lucar. How did they get out? I then realized that the lights turned suddenly on, and I was in a dark cold cellared room. A tall man approached me, "So you killed our Great general eh?" I didn't understand, I felt like I was being strangled and couldn't say anything.

after killing zaroff he went to sleep inthe best bed in the world. As he awoke he left on the boat that zaroff metioned. He was walking down to the boat and as he steeped in the boat he remembered about the prisoners. He went back in the house and got them. With the prisoners he got back in the boat it was fairly big and roomy.

As they stared the boat and went along he thought to him self "this could be my summer home if i took out all the dogs. i could cut some of the trees and put a sort of thing." As he when alone he did not realize that he was going off track he was going right into the bigest storm ever.

Rainsford never exactly understood what happened that night. He couldn’t. All he knew was that at one moment, the general was pointing the barrel of the gun, right there, right at him, and at the next, it was replaced by the muddy red of the blood splattered all over the bedspreads, the floor, the wall – everywhere you can imagine, even on his own clothes. It never seemed to make sense for him, and it seemed that he never will, but that was not the problem. At the moment, he had been overcome by the exhaust of “the hunt”, and he fell backwards onto the soft linen sheets of the bed that once belonged to that cruel monster.
He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided.
And so he never will.
Through the window of his unconscious mind, he heard the angry footsteps and a few furious shouts, coming closer and closer, then a squeaking sound of the door. The sounds came even nearer, then suddenly paused unnaturally.
All he had felt was a sharp sting and the cold touch of metal, as the cheer of the crowd faded away in a decrescendo and he sank into the deep voids of sleep. Or so he thought.

----------------------------
Apologies for being extremely ambiguous... It wasn't my original intention and, you know what, make it what you will...

I couldn’t sleep last night, as much as I tried to, I just couldn't. The constant sound of dogs barking and the hostages of San Lucar moaning in groaning were only a few of the things that kept me from sleeping. I had to get out of this place. But how? After all that I've been through, I couldn't possibly go back to a normal life and act as if nothing had ever happened. But I was determined to.

I hopped out of bed and tried to think of something, anything that could help me on my quest to get off this island. Yes, there was the obvious, taking the boat and fleeing. However, I was now responsible; I had the dogs to take care of and the people. I had no idea what to do. Through out the whole day I tried to come up with ideas, but none of them worked. They either backfired or were just too dumb of a thought, to even try to undertake. I had never thought I would be saying this, but I was going to stay on the island. As much as I hated it, as much as I wanted to erase the horrible thought of the hunt that was brain washed into my mind, I couldn't. It was going to stay there. And what better way to make the best out of it, then to continue on what General Zaroff left behind.

After killing Zaroff, I felt like I was a hero. I thought about how many people would dare to come to Ship Trap Island , and how I saved their lives by killing Zaroff. The next day I went out and burned Zaroff, so there was no evidence I killed him. For the rest of the day I went and explored the island in peace, I looked for different animals, went hunting for animals, and looked at plants. I did the same thing for weeks, but after a while I got bored, I finally understood why Zaroff hunted humans instead.

I knew I couldn’t possibly go back to the real world after what I did, so I decided to be a general, general Rainsford. I told the prisoners that Zaroff was killed by an animal that attacked him. They asked what animal? I told them all I had no idea. I also said that once every two weeks someone was allowed to be free. All they had to do was get to the other side of the island. I warned them off the ferocious animals, and how dangerous it was, but there was always someone who would risk it. I promised to myself that I would follow in Zaroffs footsteps, but I changed the rules to make it more exciting. I gave them a good knife, and told them to watch out because you never know who’s out there, or if something or someone was hunting you. They would laugh at me saying who would ever come to this island. I was also laughing in my head. The sad part was they didn’t know what was going to happen to them …. except me.

Rainsford picked up his luggage and waved his hand for a taxi. He remembered last night. Using General Zaroff’s communicating system, he arranged a New York plane to arrive at Ship-Trap Island to pick him up. Rainsford was glad he was safe now. He decided that when he returned home, he would not speak a word about his terrifying experience at Ship-Trap Island. Back at the island, he sent the pack of hounds to the Animal Control Center and had them controlled. The prisoners from San Lucas were sent back to their homeland. Rainsford then called Law Enforcement so they could decide what to do with this abandoned island.
Rainsford retuned to his house on Albany Street. He was glad to see his wife, Mandy, safe and sound. Mandy, terrified of what had happened to Rainsford gasped. “Rainsford, are you alright? I heard that you were stuck on that horrible, deserted island!” Rainsford calmed his wife down, “Yes, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” The wife replied,” I hope you are all right. I made one of your favorites, macaroni-and-cheese casserole.” Rainsford felt fortunate and pleased that he had a great, caring wife. Mandy took out a piping hot casserole out of the oven and set it to cool on a cooling rack. Rainsford’s mouth watered. Velveeta and cottage cheese was his favorite. “Oh, did I forget to mention that we have a new neighbor moving in the house next to us? He’s quite a nice man. But he’s feeling rather teary and sad because of the loss of a family member. I think you should go next door and introduce yourself. Rainsford was extremely hungry but he did not want to disappoint his wife. He hurriedly walked next door. He rang the doorbell. He heard footsteps coming to open the door. Rainsford lost his appetite when he saw the man behind the door. He could recognize that face anywhere. The man looked like General Zaroff.

Rainsford woke up the next morning with a feeling of fear, like he was still being hunted. As he walked down the old staircase, he noticed something was off. The plates that were there last night had vanished. “That’s quaint”, he thought. He hadn’t let the prisoners out yet, and the door was shut, so there was no way that the dogs could have gotten in. He decided to visit the prison, but all he saw were the decaying bodies of all of the sailors. “These bodies look like they were killed just last night” he thought to himself. After nearly blacking out from the sight, he decided to lock the door, and never go back in there. He threw the key into the ocean as the waves pounded against the sea-salted rocks. No one else on this island had the key, so he would never go back in that prison room.

He decided to go and explore the jungle while the hounds were busy sleeping. As he progressed through the jungle, his level of fear and adrenaline were rising. Right as he was about to take his next step, he looked down to see a gaping hole, and all of the hounds had fallen in it. “Well, that’s one less problem to deal with”, he shouted. He walked and realized that he had walked to death swamp, he turned back to realize that the hole had been the exact same on he had dug, but there were more stakes at the bottom. He decided to go back to the mansion, where he slept last night. Right as he was about to take his first step, he felt something touch his shoulder, and he turned back to stab it. But there was nothing there. He sprinted back to the mansion where as soon as he entered, he noticed that the door with the prisoners was slightly open. He moved closer to it, and as he did, he smelled a puff of smoke, similar to the one when he was in the tree. He backed away when something grabbed him and pulled him in. “Miss me?” Zaroff said, with that unforgettable smile.

“I have to run, faster and faster. There is no time left.” Rainsford thought to himself. Sweats endlessly spurting out of his forehead like sparkly beads, he was panting ever so intensely. He heard the yelping of the hounds and the malicious laughter of General Zaroff, growing ever louder and louder, lurking, hiding, sometimes attack unexpected in Rainsford’s mind. He was now hiding in the brushes with thorns slashing and stinging at him, but he didn’t care as long as he could survive and escape out of General’s evil clenches and the twisted idea of the excitement of men hunting; he would stay in there for the exchange of safety. Suddenly, just as Rainsford began to relax his tensed up body, he saw the flashing smile that hung slightly around the corner of General’s wicked lips. Involuntarily, He screamed and slowly cornered by the General and his thirsty hounds.”

Rainsford woke up shuddering and shaking uncontrollably from the terrifying dream. Deadly dreaded, he thought that he must leave this place once and for all to get away, far and far away from this haunted place. Quickly, he went to save the prisoners that the General had kept from their cellars with several striking blows on the rusty lock. He then hurriedly went to find something that could take him and the imprisoned sailors back to where they had come from. To his surprise, he found an old, dusty ship. He commanded the sailors to gather some supplies and provisions and they eagerly boarded the ship, desperately wanted to sail away from their nightmare. After several seemingly endless months, Rainsford spotted something that resembled an island .Happily, Rainsford announced they would be landing soon and the sailors all squirmed toward to the deck. Through their squinting eyes, they saw rays of brilliant light. Finally, they landed with both exhaustion and anticipation, and an affable host came welcoming them in front of a huge chateau.

It was the best sleep he has ever gotten during his time on this wretched island. Rainsford awoke in the middle of the afternoon to the sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks and to the smell of a jungle breeze. Relaxing, almost, but the thoughts of his ordeals and near death experiences climbed its way back into his head, canceling all ideas of relaxation. The nightmare was partially finished and he wished to stay no longer in this place of death. His pursuer now lay in the bellies of satisfied dogs and the smell of his blood still floated in the air. But Rainsford did not regret his actions; the man was a murderer. An ever so quiet thought arose, “Maybe I just placed myself on his level. Maybe I'm just as bad as him.” He immediately pushed the thought away and repeated to himself, “I had to do it. I had to do it... Now to get off this blasted island...” He left the house still struggling to forget the condemning thoughts that had appeared in his head. He looked out to the ocean, the jungle behind him. It was only open sea, empty, and bright blue. “Please!” he called to no one, “Get me off this island!” Nobody answered. At that moment a feeling of absolute loneliness and emptiness overcame Rainsford like never before. He had never felt this hopeless. Then he heard a shout come from the house.

Rainsford thought about this game whole night. He will not gain anything that is benefit to him. Even if, he kills the General Zaroff and wins the "Most Dangerous Game", he will just be a murderer, and might have to stay in the jail when he goes back to US. He looked at the clock on the wall. Exactly 4 o'clock. The outside was still dark, which looks like a painter spilt the black ink and it covers the world. Rainsford hurried down from the bed and to the basement, where General Zaroff have changed the place to lock in the "prisoners". There were only three of them left. General Zaroff has might kill the other sailors. He freed them and told them to ride on to the boat, and ready to leave. When they got up to the boat and start sailing, the sun rose with their starting. The General Zaroff's eyes were straight toward to the Rainsford from the balcony, looking at this game match running away. He smiled bitterly. Who is he going to hunt now, play the game with him? He lived to hunt, that was the only his enjoyment of living. But after everyone left, every single “animal”, there was no reason to leave anymore for General Zaroff. He turned back to his room and headed to somewhere.
Rainsford looked at the sunrise. The sea was red s the sea that Rainsford had seen, the day when he met General Zaroff. Suddenly, he thought that if he just leave this place, and go back to his homeland, there will be no more hunting of thrill that he have felt while he was playing with Zaroff. Also, if he goes back, that proves him that he has lost the game to the General. Without thinking anymore, Rainsford turn back to the end of the boat and jumped into the water, and swam back to the island.

Rainsford woke the next day with the horrible sound of rolling thunder coming from the outside gray clouds. Still on a natural high from killing general Zaroff, he jumped from the bed that he slept so peacefully in the night before with the knife in his hand given to him at the beginning of the hunt. He looked around cautiously with a careful eye. He smelt the horrid stench of rotting flesh fill the whole room as he fell on top of the dead corpse of General Zaroff. He abruptly jumped to his feet. Feeling the shock of killing a man and being hunted for three days set in.
Rainsford began thinking about how he would ever get off the god forsaken island. How he would find his friends. He also wondered if his friends, family, or people that he had met even missed him or wanted him back. These where the cruel thoughts roaming around his mind. After he thought long and hard he pointed his dull knife directly at his fast beating heart.

The next morning, Ranisford let out all the prisoners and dug Ivan's grave. He took all the hounds, which were now his, and went to the airport. Rainsford wanted to take a long. relaxing vocation before going back home to explain what happened to his girlfriend.
Rainsford and the hounds all got to Italy safely. He booked 5 rooms to fill the hounds and him at a six- star hotel. It was extremely weird that Rainsord's rooms' were at the end of the hall on the 13th floor. As soon as he got into the room, he lay flat and the bed and fell asleep. Rainsford suddenly woke up when he heard someone knock on the door extremely loud and that person was shouting hoarsely, "Rainsford, I will get revenge...."

Rainsford had enjoyed the quiet and peaceful night, as he lay wide-awake in the mists of the morning the next day. The sun had just risen when Rainsford had woken up. He felt like staying in bed the entire day to rest his hurt and aching body but he knew there had to be work done. He decided to release the prisoners first, repair sails for the boat for its long journey back to the mainland. Rainsford rose slowly out of bed and- all of a sudden he heard very heavy moaning noises coming from downstairs.

Rainsford was now wide-awake and alert. He slowly tiptoed to the southwest corner of the room and retrieved the shotgun leaning against the wall. He searched thoroughly but quietly through General Zaroff's drawers and found five rounds of ammunition, packed tightly in a thin covering of plastic. He grabbed one of General Zaroff's old military coats and stuffed four rounds of ammunition into the chest pockets and loaded the shotgun with the other round of ammunition. He was slowly advancing towards the wooden door when again he heard the wailing and moaning, almost like the singing of a walrus. This time Rainsford stiffened. He was afraid; afraid of whom it was, afraid for him, afraid for what was going to happen. Rainsford was almost paralyzed and felt like he was going to faint. He knew there could be only one person on this island. He knew there could be only one person who would've known he was here. He knew that the swift events the took on before him was not enough for him to win the game. The dogs had not eaten the loser, much less taken a whiff of the loser. Rainsford knew there could only be one final conclusion to this. Crossing himself, Rainsford opened the door. But before he could take a step, General Zaroff was awaiting him holding a glock up to his head. General Zaroff managed to winced a smile. His bloody clothes and weird limp made him look like a zombie back from the grave. Zaroff now laughed a hideous and frightening laugh and asked, "Are you ready to hunt?"

Rainsford wakes up the next day. The sunshine enters the bedroom through the broken window. He looked through the sattered glass the mangled body of Zaroff. Rainsford decided he had enough of the accursed island.

He went down towards the basement to release the prisoners. Rainsford and the shipmates found the ship but none of them knew how to use th ship. So they accidently start the ship up. A figure appeared out in the deck it was the outline of Ivan.

When Rainsford wakes up from his sleep, the best night he ever had in the past three days. He knew the cruelty of hunting now. He wasn’t about to make General Zaroff the food of the hounds, instead he buried the poor guy who thinks hunting is his life. He freed the sailors who were trapped by Zaroff. Together, they carried food and some other daily supply to the big ship General Zaroff had. Eventually when Rainsford went back to America, be changed a lot. He never kill an animal, he never go hunting anymore.
One day, Rainsford saw his friend Whitney. He regretted what he said to Whitney on the yacht. Whitney was surprised that Rainsford was alive and they hugged each other. Rainsford told Whitney that he was wrong and should think about his preys. He felt so sorry about his doings. In front of the heads of the animals he hunted, Rainsford slowly holds his pistol, aiming his temple and pulls the trigger.

With the sun beaming directly into his face, Rainsford awoke knowing exactly what had happened yesterday, for there was blood and hand marks all around the room. Making his way out from the cozy, soft bed, Rainsford peeked outside the window, to find a heavy mist throughout the forest, with the hounds down below. Knowing that he couldn’t stay at this beautiful, rich mansion that had once belonged to a malicious General, Rainsford first packed the boat Zaraff had mentioned with lost of food. He then ran downstairs to free all the gauntly looking prisoners, whose bony hands were locked around the bars.

As he took one last look at the island, a place of terror and death, he hopped onto the ship and set sail towards the vast blue sea. “This is a place I will never forget.” Rainsford thought to himself. A couple hours into the trip, one of the scrawny crew members yelled something that caught his attention. He immediately rushed over, and there, barely perceptible beneath the sea fog, he could make out a ship. A ship that looked exactly like the one he had been on with Whitney before he landed on this barbaric island.

As he awoken, he was exhausted to the point that he forgotten about last night, the last battle. As he looks below the bed, he sees the carcass of General Zaroff. In shock, he maneuvered backwards and collapses besides the bed. Just then, a surge of memories went through him: how he was being the prey for once, how he was being hunted by the dogs, how he killed a hound, how he murdered Ivan, and how he murdered Zaroff. He ran out the room, in search of his options, whether to set peace to the island, or just escape for his life. Then he recalled about the men at San Lucar, but he had absolutely no idea what he could possibly do with them.
Then his memories came back to him yet again, there was a ship that General Zaroff owned, "Those men would make a fine crew." So it was settled, the men became Rainsford's crew and settled upon returning to wherever possible, anywhere but this island. As the darkness approached, Rainsford along with his crew set sail and left for wherever they're presented upon. Exhausted yet again, Rainsford goes to bed while the crew looks for places to land upon, but in the midst of the night, something had awoken Rainsford. To the entrance of his room, he sees a shadow entering a room holding an object that seemed like a gun. Fear building up inside Rainsford, he quickly put his hand into his pocket and reached for what seemed to be the gun he had killed General Zaroff with.

I awake to what seemed to be the most magnificent bed proceeding the most horrific night. Sheets of heaven consume me. Thoughts of death send chills down my spine. The beaming daylight bathes my, oh so, dreary face. Darkness glides past my every thought. Laying still only makes it worse. I finally gain the strength to get up, and the fist thing I hear are caged voices that could only belong to captured prisoners. Steadily, I pace towards the sounds. I then peek through a rusty slit in what’s left of a black, charcoaled door. What do I see? Droopy faces, parched, and probably craving for any possible thing edible. Immediately, I unlock the door, which must’ve alarmed their poor, innocent souls. It was quite a challenge convincing them I was there to be of help. However, once accomplished, I feed them all they want in what’s leftover in the watched house. Then, I announce I decide it would be best for them to leave the island. Only I knew the lies that were seeping through my teeth. I couldn’t survive roaming around this deserted island, hearing haunted voices that existed merely in my mind.
We all gather any food that passes our eyes and store up on Zaroff’s specially made garments and other prized possessions that could be sold for cash. I lead all the prisoners out. We walk for a bit, which leads to a jog. Their stone cold expressions were enough to tell me how anxious and thankful they were to be escaping Ship Trap Island. Finally, we reach Zaroff’s sacred boat, but only to find its hopeless sail hovering over the treacherous waters.

Wow. While I was reading this, I could feel the tension inside me building. Great job! Now I'm really curious to find out what happens next. Amazing use of adjectives and verbs. Your passage was not too long, but you said everything you needed to.

Your writing NEVER fails to impress me. Its amazing what you can do with words. You brought all of my senses with me while I was reading your passage. It kept me on the edge of my seat when I was getting closer and closer to the ending...AMAZING!

Rainsford woke up that morning at first not knowing what had happened. How did he get here? Why was he in this bed? Then it suddenly hit him like a bull and he realized where he was. Rainsford had just spent the last three days fleeing for his life against a cunning savage murderer. He remembered how Zarroff had chosen him to be hunted and set him loose on the island to play his sick game. And Rainsford had won. But he had other problems to worry about. What was he going to do now? Zarroff had a boat somewhere on this island, and that would be his ticket out of here. Yet he soon realized that by now, his friends and family must all consider him to be dead. Rainsford had been traumatized beyond belief. How could he return to them now?
Then Rainsford remembered the hunt. He had won! He remembered the rush, the thrill that he felt when he defeated the General. Zarroff’s cruel and savage ways finally made sense to Rainsford. He recalled the General’s words “The weak of the world wew oyt here to give the strong pleasure”, and Rainsford was stronger tan Zarroff. Rainsford had beaten Zarroff at his own game. He was better than Zarroff was. Why not stay here? He had food and shelter, and he even had more game to hunt. Rainsford remember the false channel lights that led to the ship trap. He strode up to the window and flipped the switch.

Your writing never fails to impress me. Its incredible what you can do with words. You brought all of my senses into this passage while I was reading. I was on the edge of my seat while aproaching the ending..AMAZING!!!

When Rainsford woke up he didn’t mind how badly the stench had gotten from Zaroff’s dead body. He had slept so well that night that he just went down to the kitchen to find something to eat. Then, he heard a faint sound somewhere and couldn’t make out the sound. He got back to looking for something to eat, and then heard the sound again. He went towards were he think the sound was coming from and saw a big door. He saw that it was locked and tried to open it. But of course this was no ordinary door; it was a big door that was meant to not be opened without a key.
Rainsford went to Zaroff’s bedroom and looked all around the room to see if he could find a key of a sort. After looking for what seemed to be at least an hour, he found a key hidden under a towel in a closet near Zaroff’s bed. He sprinted to the door and put the key threw the key hole. He waited a few second and took a deep breath wondering what he would find on the other side of the door. So he turned the key and opened the door slowly. He couldn’t believe what he saw. The only thing you could hear on the Island at that moment was a loud scream.

Rainsford blinked as shafts of sunlight streamed through the high windows and filtered into the bedroom. Yawning widely, he slidout of General Zaroff's bed,and it took a few moments before he recalled his near death fight with the general. He had been on the run from Zaroff, and avoided being "hunted" for three straight days. He cast a bemused smile and muttered "his bed was comfortable." He strolled out into the hall; pausing and opening every door until he found the marble bathroom. He had a nice bubble bath and helped himself to whatever he found in the kitchen.

He sauntered out into the garden while still munching on a piece of expensive bread roll of some sort. That was when he heard a gabble of groans of agony from the door to his right. He turned and cocked his head with his hand still hovering over the dark crimson rose he was admiring. He slowly approached the wooden door's latch. Someone or something inside was now pounding on the it from the inside. Suddenly it bursted open completely, the flying door narrowly missing Rainsford's left ear. He dropped his piece of roll as his mouth hanged open.

It was the morning after the hunt. Rainsford sits on his bed while he thinks about what had happened last night. On the floor laid General Zaroff with his eyes open, dead. Rainsford was astonished at what he has done. He had killed a man without thinking and now he thought he was insane. He began thinking about what he should do now that he is a murderer.
He didn’t want to return home, because he thought being around others would put them in danger. He couldn’t possibly stay here and be sane because everything he did would remind him of General Zaroff. Suddenly, the vicious hounds appeared, it was too late to run. The dogs attacked Rainsford and after a few moments he fell to the ground. There was no one there to save him and after a while, he died.

Rainsford thought to help then men in the basement, but his curiosity about the rest of the mansion intrigued him. Reasoning that the upper stories were probably bedrooms and parlors, he started out on the first floor. The dining hall looked the same as four nights ago, the living room was just as majestic, but the gardens were spectacular. There were two of them, one with flowers and trees, the other with fruits, and vegetables. There were alot of plants and vegetation, but the island lacked any signs of life.
After browsing the aisles of the garden, Rainsford went inside for some breakfast. In the refrigerator, there were vegetables and fruits, the freezer was loaded with meat of all shapes and textures. He took some of the meat out of the freezer, cooked up a few steaks, and brought them down to the men in the basement, while keeping one for himself. Rainsford locked the basement door behind him on his way up, and pondered what to do next while gnawing on the delicious steak...

Interesting how you decided to use the last piece of dialogue to make it seem like the general had died, but he actually survived the hounds. Also, the feeling of eyes preying on him was good foreshadowing.

The General woke up to the gentle patter of rain on the roof. A cold draft was coming in through the broken window of his bedroom, now boarded up. He climbed out of bed and stepped into his Cossack dress uniform, taking care to wrap his red sash around him so that it would retain its' immaculately pressed look. Then he went downstairs for breakfast.

While he breakfasted, the General heard a heavy knocking sound at the door of his chateau. General Zarroff entered the foyer and saw that his man Basso had beaten him to the door. Basso had his huge gun , which was almost a big as the head it was pointed at. The General motioned Basso aside. "Good morning," he said to the newcomer. "You will have to excuse my servant, Basso. He gets... surprised by new faces."
Seeing that he was now in polite company, the newcomer not express how he was offended by the banal euphemism.
"My name is Whitney. I am traveling in search of my friend, who was lost at sea several days ago."

Rainsford wakes early in the morning, because he is not use to sleeping very long. Apparently he slept on the floor because he is not use to sleeping on the bed. He tried to sleep right after the dual with general Zaroff, but he felt unsafe. He checked the whole house twice to make sure it was safe to sleep in. Rainsford decides to stay on the island for as long as the General’s livestock could last Ransford. After a couple of days when the livestock runs out Rainsford unlocks some of the men and uses the back to America. After coming back from the ship-trapped island, Rainsford lets the men go and goes to see Whitney and his other ship members. Sadly, they all died during a fatal boat crash setting the whole boat on firing and killing everyone remained on the ship. Rainsford was disappointed, for his only reason for coming back to America was to tell his friends about the dangerous game.

Then, Rainsford had an idea! Instead of just sharing the story with his dead friends, why didn’t he just write another book! It was like sharing the story to the world. Rainsford made millions and millions.

Nightmares shook Rainsford as he slept in the bed of the enemy. Killing Zaroff has brought back the horrors of the war. Rainsford sat up in the bed, staring blankly at the wall thinking of one word, death. The room was bathed in a red haze of sunlight, shining through the blood soaked curtain. Baying of the hounds after there hearty meal sent shivers down Rainsford’s spine. Standing on the balcony looking out onto the baby blue sea, calmed Rainsford’s nerves, but he still was filled with the urgency to flee the island.
Picking up the blood stained knife, Rainsford placed it gingerly into his pocket as he bounded down the stairs. Heading into the basement of the manor he opened the heavily braced door revealing the many prisoners of Ship Trap island. The people cried with joy seeing another face, not held captive by Zaroff. Strutting out one by one, the prisoners could hardly keep themselves inline, as they made there way toward the docks.
The island cursed Rainsford, and like a disease it killed him. He didn’t know what to do, go home branded as a murderer, or stay on the island, being forever reminded of the horrors that have occurred there. The sun shone brightly on the crags of the rocky shore which caressed a bloodied knife, not far from the docks where the ragged men, cried with joy as they sailed away from the hellish island.

Waking up from a new and refreshing day Rainsford finds himself in the comfortable bed that belongs to General Zaroff. He remembers what had happened last night clearly and smiles proudly. He decides to not leave the island and happily live in General Zaroff’s chateau. He goes to look for the prisoners and stumbles upon General Zaroff’s collection of human heads, in disgust he quickly walks away from the collection. He later finds the prisoners and make them into his servants, some prisoners tried to escape but failed because there was no where to go. General Zaroff’s dogs were sleeping when he arrived at the cage, the remains of General Zaroff were scattered on the floor of the cage, and the hounds seemed quite pleased with last night’s snack.

The next morning, Rainsford gets up hungry and goes into the kitchen looking for food, realizing that he had ran out of food. Rainsford comes up with an idea, a devious idea. He later went to observe his servants that happened to be cleaning the house. Rainsford was looking for a servant that was weak and can no longer work. He goes up to a servant, he was thin, short and seemed like he had not slept in days. Rainsford takes the servant to a dark, mysterious room. Rainsford’s eyes looked hungry; he couldn’t wait to get his hands on some human flesh. Before he knew it he had became a cannibal, he was dying to have meat, he was starving.

With sweat dripping on the side of his face, eyes glittered with madness, he arose. Staring at the carnage, praying that the sun would never rise. Living another day in disguise. I set off with the cold intentions of vengeance lingering in my mind. the heavy weight on my shoulders are yet to be lifted the game, this hunt is my life. Crawling up the decimated stairwell, mind racing through every possible situation, could anything have gone differently? "I lived a year in a minute."

The room was still, no movement no soft whisper, no rustle of leaves. Absolute stillness in the dead of night, no moonlight no stars, It seemed like any slight movement, any soft whimper could be heard throughout the whole ship. A single man lay awake, mind racing, eyes wide open resting on a cloud. Peaceful it seems, but barking dogs lay agape in the mans mind. Finally drifting asleep ever so slightly, he fell into a coma like slumber. The next day he awoke with a new found enthusiasm, ready for, The Hunt. Vengeance corrupting his thoughts creeping through his mind. The cat finally pounces.

Pulling the trigger, the tiny gun let off a weak crack and the island got just a bit lighter. The soft body, slumped to the ship floor. Whitney, eyes wide open, lay next to the moccasins.

As I woke up to the sound of the alarm I looked up and noticed my hands and my whole anatomy was covered with bruises and broken fists. I have relived the night where the general and I had fought. The image of the fight was gruesome and horribly smelling with odor. I looked out side the window and noticed the chomped up pieces of what had been left of general Zaroff. Today as of this morning I didn’t know what I could probably encounter as of what had happened last night.

As I remembered each and every detail to the night of horror it reminded me of the rest of the people who were also the general’s prey for hunting. Quickly in a rush I set them free and each child, adult and infant wondered what would become of them as I wondered what would have become of me if the general had caught me? Abruptly I went straight to work and tried to figure out a way to get off this island. I knew most people who couldn’t just stop crying that they are alive and petrified.

As I walked towards the boat started the engine and estimated to how many people could fit in the boat. As I counted correctly there where as many 50 people who were prey for the general’s hunting. I thought it was a massive number to begin with. As I arose to the people and found out that I could only take half the people there are, suddenly there was an eruption of worried people to whether they where going to live or not? See their families again or if they would be trapped on the island forever? As I started the engine o had high hopes to look for my family and be with them for once and for all. Though I heard a high-pitched sound coming from the engine. What could have possibly gone wrong now that he was free?

First I would like to apologize for being late, I have bad really memory. Sorry.

Rainsford, after a gloriously comfortable sleep, finds himself quickly preparing to leave the godforsaken island. He gather up the gritty sailors of the Spanish ship San Lucar. Then reminding himself that Zaroff hounds were loyal even in death. After a quick scavenge he was able to discover a vast storehouse of arms. After a quick briefing and introduction to the poor sailors, he arms them to the teeth. They storm out the mansion, gun in hand and sword in other. After a quick skirmish, they round up any and all scavenge able supplies need for the sail home.
They quickly find the vessel and feverously set sail. Rainsford for the greater part of the day was in deep thought. “No” he could no longer go home. A change of course is needed.
“Sailors set sail for Panama!” burst Rainsford.
“El Panama Senor?” replied the Spanish sailor.
“Se good lad, The Panama, quick full speed ahead!”
After in a short while, with the help of fantastic winds they arrived at the Panama Canal. The going through a series of locks, they reach the city. Rainsford and his fellow sailors then after selling looted supplies from the island became quite wealthy. Rainsford soon parted ways with the friendly sailors. He inhabited Panama for a few years, he lived spoiled and devilishly, he made quite a few enemies here and there. One usual day he headed to a local tavern. He drank a couple of shots, got drunk, blacked out like always.
Rainsford was suddenly awaken from his deep snooze by a loud clang. It was pitch-black, he heard the murmurs of voices. As for a normal would have already wet himself, no not Rainsford. He had been hunted like an animal, this was nothing. After gaining some focus, Rainsford sensed that he was on the high seas. The room swooped round and round. Through the dark, Rainsford heard a Spanish man speak. By the tone and texture of his voice, Rainsford concluded that this man was in quite a scare. Then he felt a cold object impact his skull. The ship was engulfed in a hurricane.

Rainsford stood there, hands shaking and dripping with blood. General Zaroff’s bloody carcass half-hanging on the window. His vacant eyes boring straight into Rainsford’s. A metallic clanging could be heard as he dropped the scissors. He pushed Zaroff’s body down below and waited. He didn’t have to wait long. He heard a thud and the surprising squeals of his hounds down below. Rainsford shut the windows and closed the drapes and climbed into Zaroff’s bed. He had been severely wounded, but he tried to doze off into sleep anyway. By next light, a ship could be seen pulling up onto shore of the island. A man walked onto the sword looking quite puzzled. This man was Whitney. He knew Rainsford and fallen off and that this was the only place he could have gone to. He started searching this island. At this time, it started to rain. After about half an hour of walking, he came across a very silent house. Curious, he peered inside the cracked door. There was nobody there. Gun drawn, he walked inside. There seemed to be nobody taking residence in this home, he thought. He walked up the stairs as carefully as if they were made of glass. He peeked over his shoulder into the room nearest to him. In shock, he dropped his gun. He ran over to the bed. Rainsford was in it, bleeding badly. “Rainsford!! What in god’s name happened!?!?” Winston cried. “I..K-killed zaroff..ma-man..Hunter. There is a sloop at his dock. He sa…id so…” Rainsford had taken his last breath right at that moment. Horrified, Winston back away from this room. Then he heard a scratching noise. He went downstairs and saw a peculiar mahogany door. He opened it and followed the stairs that went downwards. At the bottom, there were about 20 or so steel cages, each holding a human captive. He shot all the locks, setting them free. After all introductions had been made, he led all of them to his ship to escape the island. His ship could not be found. There were only remains, obviously destroyed by a storm. Winston then remembered that Rainsford said Zaroff had a sloop at his dock. He led the crowd once again back to the bouse and aroundit to the docks. But there was no ship. Zaroff had lied about the sloop.

Rainsford had just waken up from his pleasant sleep. Just a few hours ago, Rainsford had beaten General Zaroff. Right when he woke up, the thought occurred to him,"I'm living at the place where I almost lost my life. I cannot stay on this island much longer. How am I going to escape!?" Rainsford surely didn't want to stay on the island much longer. Rainsford was on an island completely surrounded with water. The only way he could escape is if he had some sort of ship, which the island did not provide. One single person creating a ship would take months, maybe even years. He thought back, to the night he met General Zaroff. He suddenly remembers that he had mentioned there were a dozen men also living on the island. He rushed downstairs to find the men and inform them on his plan.

Rainsford, along with the dozen of men, were now sailing on the sea waiting patiently to arrive at a harbor in America. Rainsford was feeling rush of excitement from head to toe. He would soon be able to go back to the normal life he had.

"Up Ahead! Land Ho!" one of the men shouted. Rainsford jumped to his feet and focused at the harbor just a few meters from the ship. Gradually, the ship swam closer and closer to the harbor. Men everywhere were pulling the ship in. Rainsford and the men rushed out of the boat and ran off in their own separate ways without a goodbye or farewell. Rainsford looked into the horizon and smiled.

Rainsford woke the next morning with a feeling of relief to him. Knowing that he is not being pursued as a game anymore, he gets up and peers out the window where the hounds are. Only seeing a blood stain, he pushes forward to his day with boldness. Deciding to stay on the island, he takes a trek around the island in search of resources and landmarks to map out the island. The feeling of eyes at every corner never escaped him during the hike of the island; a sense of paranoia had seeped in over time, leaving him stained in fright.
The dense jungle began to collapse onto Rainsford. He increased the speed of his walk to a slight jog, the speed of his heart racing faster and faster until the speed of his jog was a dead sprint. He reached a hill that was quite steep, but it was the only way to reach the château from his position. He walked slowly like a crab up the hill using the dirt as grip, assisting him up the hill. Exhausted, Rainsford stares down the mountain, turning around leaves him eye to eye to the thought to be dead General Zaroff.
“Ha-ha, dog is man’s best friend, the hounds have learned to have liking to me over the years and would never hurt me!” chuckled General Zaroff. Rainsford’s face was distorted from the sight of Zaroff’s return. Rainsford, filled with anger, toke a large stone and attempted to strike Zaroff for the kill; Zaroff dodged the stone with ease and caused Rainsford to black out at a pinch of the neck.
Rainsford wakes from his slumber by a pressure received through him arm, it was Ivan examining his conditions. Still hazy from the slumber, he looks over to the door and sees Zaroff with a cast over his right arm. “The fall merely shattered a few bones, not my life.” Zaroff says with a grin. Zaroff slithers out the room slowly and gives a signal to follow him before exiting the room completely. Rainsford flops out of bed and trails him to another room.
The room was filled with trophies and weapons up for display on the walls, Zaroff was sitting in a leather chair polishing a rather shiny pistol, he set it down and spoke “You see, I like to play with my food. I like to look up the enemies’ sleeves before I use my own sleeves. You were an excellent target, and now you’re free to go. I can now transfer techniques and use the slaves as practice. Now leave! The ship is waiting!”
Enraged at the fact that Zaroff has no care for human life, he picks up the pistol and fires a blind, and hits an empty chair. While scanning the room for Zaroff he feels a bite on his left leg and drops to the floor, bleeding. He covers the shot wound with his hand and crawls to a corner, while shooting more blinds. He hears the whistle of another bullet fly by, he shoots at the source until his magazine runs out. He hears footsteps and another shot.

With sweat dripping on the side of his face, eyes glittered with madness; he arose. Staring at the carnage, praying that the sun would never rise. Living another day in disguise. I set off with the cold intentions of vengeance lingering in my mind. The heavy weight on my shoulders is yet to be lifted, the game, this hunt is my life. Crawling up the decimated stairwell, mind racing through every possible situation, could anything have gone differently? "I lived a year in a minute."
The room was still there were no movement, no soft whisper, and no rustle of leaves. Absolute stillness in the dead of night, no moonlight no stars, It seemed like any slight movement, any soft whimper could be heard throughout the whole ship. A single man lay awake, mind racing, eyes wide open resting on a cloud. Peaceful it seems, but barking dogs lay agape in the mans mind. Finally drifting asleep ever so slightly, he fell into a coma like slumber. The next day he awoke with a newfound enthusiasm, ready for The Hunt. Vengeance corrupted his mind seeping through the thick wall of bone. The cat finally pounces. Pulling the trigger, the tiny gun let off a weak crack and the world got just a bit lighter. He slumped to the ground, next to those moccasins.
Dawn pushed through the tinted window; the sound of raging waves could be heard in the warm, cozy room. The incense of the smoke floated in the air and snaked around Whitney like a dark cloud. Whitney bathed in the warm rays of the bright star, pierced through the soft curtains. Like a switch had been turned on his brain began to cough and wheeze and began to function. Still in awe, counting the days passing ever so swiftly, waiting for that one last hope to come back. It didn’t; this time he lost all hope of Rainsford, his friend to ever come back. Jealous clouds soon began to convert towards the sun and it became dark again.
The rip of paper and his thoughts soon carpeted the empty paper, and so it began. “The Hunt.”
The wind was immense and it hugged the boat with its blue hands. Boat swaying; Whitney was pinned to the ground. He was like a heavy rock not even flinching to the sudden gusts of winds. The boat, of course; is not Whitney it sways, it is affected by the sudden torrents of the sea, and today the sharp rocks bit right through the durable wood like a hot knife through butter. Fast as lighting his head broke to the right and without thinking he leaped, into the mouth of the sea.
The boots collided with the damp mud of the forest, his body tense, he fled for his life; finally the day was nearing to an end.
Drifted ashore and panting for breath Whitney crawled across the sandy beach. Hands first into the wet, squishy mud and the faint crack of air, instantly startled him. Then another flurry of shots were fired. First two, then 5 more came piercing through the air. Then it stopped as quickly as it came, Whitney with bones aching yet adrenaline rushing is now in a mad dash thinking, small pistol, big game, and one bold hunter. Branches swipe at his face like thousands of knives hacking at his already aching body. The tower soon appeared growing at a booming rate. As soon as Whitney reached the cold, heavily bolted gate, he stalked around the mansion and crushed the gargoyle with a large knock. The door slowly opened and he saw, those moccasin boots.
The door exploded with a deep knock, cracking a smile he opened the heavy door.
Whitney thought the owner looked a lot like Rainsford, yet he knew it wasn’t. Doing a full analysis, Whitney found that him and Rainsford had similar characteristics, tall, dark hair medium build. Yet the eyes are full of anger and despair, clothes ragged and dirty, like he just got back from hunting. He was immediately invited in, and was given a proper introduction. He said, “ Hello, My name is General Rainsford.”
As soon as that was said, He realized he was wrong; it was Rainsford, but not truly Rainsford. I was told of the tale of General Zaroff and Rainsford himself clashed in a Hunt, a simple game of cat and mouse. Now it was his turn, yet the rules have changed. Rainsford is given one day to eliminate his mouse; I was given a pistol of the smallest caliber and him, a dulled hunting knife. I was also given a kind supply of food and clothes of the finest brand. Rainsford’s politeness and calmness proved to be a tricky adversary. Whitney knew he had no chance of reasoning with his friend. He had to cooperate with his terms.
I was given an hour to get ready and the day to set-off for his challenge. At dusk the clock would start to tick. “Hunting is so much more fun at night isn’t it?” Rainsford announced.
At dusk it began. Whitney lay traps along the path and was clutching the thought of having to kill my friend. Rainsford. It took Rainsford a few hours to get past every trap and find him sedentary on a large branch a hundred feet above. He smiled his cocky smile and blew a puff of smoke into the air, forcing Whitney to tear up and wheeze. Then pulling the trigger Whitney barraged his friend with a flurry of projectiles. Being a hunter himself, all made his mark in Rainsford’s tough chest. Springing down like a Jaguar he hovered above his friends corpse. Of course, the island felt just a bit lighter.

If I were to have the same problem as the princess, I would choose the lady. No person in the right mind would watch their own lover die by their choice. Jealousy would have shown that the person was truly blinded by their own selfish acts and the trust they had would have ended. It would hurt to watch your lover get married to someone you would hate, but the happiness the lover has might be enough to fill the empty void in your heart.

If this were to actually happen to me, I wouldn’t have chosen a tiger to kill her, but instead, marry off to someone else. Seeing someone who I have loved, dying by my own choice would have haunted me throughout my life, and I would have regretted doing the act. She would be happy with her new life, even if I were to not be in it. All that matters is to see her joyful smile, instead of seeing the bloody remains the tiger leaves. I would have moved on, but the memories we shared would have continued in me, and hopefully we could meet again, in an afterlife. A true love that one shares is a bond that is everlasting.